Antenna Poll

[windward54]

Just a fast poll for the group...

When I installed my radio on the boat, I opted to go with the Gam Electronics SSB antenna. The antenna slides up the backstay, and eliminates the need to cut up the stay. And with a split backstay, this option was very attractive, as I could install the antenna up the lower leg of the stay and continue the antenna on the upper portion of the backstay. In the beginning, performance of the antenna was great. However, recently I have had problems on frequencies 40 meters and below. I traced the problem to the GTO line, it was completly corroded. Since the GTO line goes into the plastic encased antenna, makes it almost impossible to repair without tearing the antenna apart. So now I am gettting bids from a rigger for a backstay antenna.

The question I have for the group is, do most sailors opt for the insulated backstay antenna, and how has it worked for you? And secondly, the rigger is not a fan of using 3 insulators, as the tang and cable of the other backstay leg gives a bit of a tweak to the signal out. If you have a split backstay, what did you do to get around this issue?

 

[SV Tumbleweed]

Replace the antenna. When you install the new one use liquid tape on all the exposed connections to prevent wicking moisture up into the cabeling. You already know how well the antenna performs, now you just need to prevent it from corroding again.

Fair Winds,

Bill KI4GSV

 

[windward54]

Just a follow up note on what I ended up doing:

I opted to replace the backstay. I had a rigger remove the split backstay and replace it with two stays. The wire used is a couple sizes larger than the old, so either stay will support the mast, although on a Hunter, the backstay doesn't do a lot of support. So one stay is now the antenna, and I'm back on the air.

After looking at the old backstay, I'm glad I replace the entire unit. The original plan was to just replace the lower leg on the port side, and make that the antenna. Trouble with that is the length of the anenna would be about a quarter wavelength just above 4 MHZ, so 4A, 4B and 4C would be weak. But after inspecting the old backstay before the job, I figured it didn't make sense to have one new section and still have two old sections. From there, getting rid of the split made the most sense as it made the job easier and didn't add significantly to the price of the job.

Off to Catalina Island for New Years. Hope everyone is planning on having a great New Year's celebration, and an even better 2010!